肯·萨罗威瓦(4)

The situation got worse for native groups like the Ogoni. In 1958, people discovered oil in the Niger Delta.

Soon large oil companies started to dig many wells. One of these companies was Shell - a multi national oil company.

However, the oil wells badly damaged the land and the environment. Around twenty million people lived in the Delta area. And they were not happy.

Many communities depended on the environment. They were farmers and fishermen. Damages to the environment did not just damage people's health. It took away their earnings.

Shell said that they offered to clean the oil spills. But it was not just environmental damage that troubled the Ogoni people.

Most of the money from the oil went to the government or oil companies. The native people continued to live in poor conditions.